CASTRIES, St. Lucia – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders will go into retreat one day after the ceremonial opening of their 51st summit here in July, Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre announced on Monday.
Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre launching the 52st CARICOM summit to be held in St Lucia (CMC Photo)The regional leaders normally would hold their retreat later during the summit, but Pierre, who is taking over the chairmanship of the 15-member regional integration grouping from July1, told reporters that the retreat will take place on Monday following the ceremonial opening in the evening of July 5.
“On Monday, July 6, heads of governments or their representatives will participate in the Heads’ Retreat, an important opportunity for frank discussion, reflection, and consensus-building among regional leaders.:
Pierre said that this year’s programme for the conference has been intentionally designed to create a space “for leaders or their representatives to engage directly with one another, exchange perspectives on key regional issues, and strengthen collaboration, reflecting both the business of regional governance and the spirit of Caribbean unity”.
He said formal business sessions of the conference will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday “during which heads of governments will deliberate on matters critical to the future of our community and advance decisions aimed at strengthening regional integration and improving the lives of Caribbean people”.
At the last retreat of the leaders held in St. Kitts and Nevis in March, regional leaders agreed on re-appointing Belizean economist Dr. Carla Barnett for a second five-year term as CARICOM Secretary General.
But the re-election was criticised by Trinidad and Tobago, which said it was not represented and has since indicated that it will not recognise Barnett as secretary general when her first terms ends in August.
Pierre told reporters “today marks an important milestone for St. Lucia, and an important moment for the Caribbean Community as we officially launch the 51st regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, which St. Lucia will host from 5th to July 8th, 2026, with the opening ceremony on Sunday,” Pierre said in a prepared statement.
Pierre , who will succeed his St. Kitts and Nevis counterpart, Dr. Terrance Drew, said the “orderly rotation of leadership reflects one of the enduring strengths of our community.
“The responsibility, continuity, and the collective commitment of member states to advance the regional agenda in service of the Caribbean people. As incoming chair, St. Lucia recognises the significance of this moment.
“We prepare to assume this responsibility at a time when the Caribbean, and indeed the wider world, is navigating profound and complex change,” Pierre said, adding that the theme for the meeting is “CARICOM, From Resilience to Renewal in a Changing World”.
He said this captures both the reality of the region’s circumstances and the ambition of its response.
“The Caribbean people have always been resilient. Our history tells a story of endurance, of societies that emerged from slavery and colonialism, overcame economic vulnerability, and built independent nations guided by hope, determination, and unity.
“But resilience alone is no longer enough. The task before us now is renewal. Renewal of our economies, renewal of our regional cooperation, renewal of our institutions, renewal of opportunity for our people, and renewal of confidence in our collective ability to shape our own future. ”
Pierre said that CARICOM was founded on the belief that the small states could achieve far more together than “we could ever accomplish alone” and tht “principle remains as relevant today as it was at the birth of our community.
“That spirit of cooperation continues to find expression through the work of CARICOM’s institutions and agencies, which support member states in areas such as public health, education, disaster preparedness, climate resilience, security cooperation, and sustainable development,” he said, telling reporters that their work demonstrates the practical value of regional integration and the benefits of collective action.
Pierre said that during St. Lucia’s chairmanship, “our focus will be guided by a simple but urgent principle.
“CARICOM must deliver results that our people can see and feel in their everyday lives. Regional integration must not be something discussed only in conference rooms or reflected solely in communiqués.
“It must translate into meaningful improvements in the lives of Caribbean people. Over the next six months, St. Lucia will work with our regional partners to strengthen Caribbean unity, advance climate resilience and climate justice, improve regional security, deepen economic cooperation, expand food and nutrition security, and create greater opportunities for our people.”
